Japan will not sacrifice the agricultural sector as part of its tariff talks with the United States, its top negotiator said on Tuesday, after President Donald Trump complained that the key Asian ally was not buying American rice.

President Donald Trump is threatening to impose higher tariffs on Japanese exports to the United States over what he claims is the country’s unwillingness to buy American-grown rice.

Japan's government on Wednesday declined to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose even higher tariffs on Japanese products, saying that Tokyo will step up sincere bilateral talks.